Cow’s Horn steps to reopen this summer
Steps up to the Clarence Battery, known colloquially as the Cow’s Horn, should finally reopen at the end of this summer, it has been confirmed.
The steps from La Vallette up to the east coast cliffs were swept away in a landslip four years ago.
The repairs were initially delayed by Covid and then by difficulty in securing design specialists.
But infrastructure officer Marco Tersigni confirmed work was set to start next week.
‘We’re really pleased to have everything lined up and ready to go on this important project which will secure the rockface in this area for the long-term and, at the end of this challenging project, as the cherry on the cake, we can restore the steps,’ he said.
‘While we would have wanted to complete the works during the winter months to avoid these works being carried out during Guernsey’s busiest months for tourists, we have been advised that, for health and safety reasons, the work should be undertaken in the drier months.’
The work will involve a phased approach of securing the rock faces, securing the lower parts of the slopes, installation of a new set of steps, which will sit on the footprint of the previous ones, and lastly securing the upper part of the slopes.
The complex project is set to be finished at the end of the summer.
The scale of the project means that the turning circle and the part of La Vallette closest to it will be closed from Monday until 23 August.
‘Inevitably there will be some disruption to parking arrangements while these improvements take place, but we’ve tried to go out of our way to engage with those who use the area, to try limit disruption,’ Mr Tersigni said.
‘As far as possible, we’ve reduced the size of the contractor’s compound so that we can retain as many parking spaces as possible.’
To accommodate the loss of spaces, 10-hour spaces between Ladies’ Pool and towards the Horseshoe swimming area will be changed to two-hour spaces.
The plans have been discussed with relevant parties who use the area.
Vive La Vallette chairman David Warr said the team was delighted that work to restore the steps was starting soon.
While the steps have been closed, cliff path access has been via a footpath at the bottom of Le Val des Terres.
